Buddha's tooth relic from Beijing's Lingguang Temple will be enshrined in Bangkok, Thailand for 73 days to mark the 72nd birthday of Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday. "At the invitation of the Thai government and in celebration of King Maha Vajiralongkorn's 72nd birthday as well as the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand in 2025, China has agreed to arrange for the Buddha's tooth relic from Beijing's Lingguang Temple to be enshrined in Bangkok from December 2024 to February 2025 for a period of 73 days," said Lin Jian, the spokesman, at a press conference in Beijing.
"Since the founding of the People's Republic of China [in 1949], the Buddha's tooth relic from the Lingguang Temple has been taken abroad for enshrinement six times, warmly welcomed by Buddhist followers in each host country. It is believed that this enshrinement of the Buddha's tooth relic in Thailand will further enhance exchanges between the Buddhist communities of both countries, enrich the connotation of profound culture of China-Thailand community with a shared future and make the belief more popular that China and Thailand are as close as one family," he said.
Buddha's tooth relic from China to be enshrined in Bangkok to mark Thai King's birthday, anniversary of diplomatic ties
At least 24 people have been confirmed dead in a massive fire at a shopping mall in Karachi, the capital of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, officials said on Monday.
A spokesperson for state-run Rescue 1122 said an extensive urban search and rescue operation continued at the Gul Plaza building, which was severely damaged by the blaze. More casualties were feared as the structure remained unstable and large sections of the building had collapsed.
The blaze erupted late Saturday night at Gul Plaza, a multi-storey shopping mall located on MA Jinnah Road, which houses over 1,200 shops. It was brought under control after more than 24 hours of firefighting on Sunday.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said about 60 people who were reported to have visited the plaza were still missing.
Shah said the provincial government would provide compensation of 10 million Pakistani rupees (about 36,000 U.S. dollars) to the family of each victim.
The rescue service said a dedicated firefighting team remained engaged in cooling operations to ensure a safe working environment, while heavy machinery was being used in a controlled manner to remove debris and create access routes, rescue officials said.
According to Rescue 1122, several bodies were found badly charred or in parts due to intense heat and prolonged exposure to fire, making immediate identification difficult. Technical and forensic procedures will be used to establish identities.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, though police earlier said it was suspected to have been triggered by an electrical short circuit.
Death toll rises to 24 in shopping mall fire in Pakistan's Karachi
